3 Things about Data Encryption in Apple iOS that You Should Know
All data on the Apple device encrypted by the Apple Software
Image via wired.com
Requests from Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to Apple to make the software that became the “back door” in iOS become a warm topic in the world today.
On the Privacy page, Apple explains that all data within an Apple device, including photos, messages, contacts, and credit cards, become a highly protected data.
“Encryption protects trillions of online transactions every day. Whether you’re shopping or paying bills, you use encryption. Encrypting your data into a unreadable text that only can be read by the proper key. We have to protect your data for more than a decade with SSL and TLS in Safari, FileVault on the Mac, and iOS, ” Apple said.
“We are committed to using strong encryption because you need the assurance of the data on your device and the information that you share with other people have been protected,”.
The Strength of Apple iOS Data Encryption
Image via Apple
Apple is facing a debate with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding encryption of iPhone from the perpetrators of terrorism in San Bernardino. Apple is known to have strong encryption in the operating system. However, how strong the encryption to protect the user data?
In the statement in the Security Guide, on Saturday (02/27/2016), Apple explained that the security is an important thing that they notice. “iOS has the additional encryption and data protection features to protect user data, even in the case of other security infrastructure has been changed (for example on a device with unauthorized modifications),” Apple said.
Each iOS device has a 256 AES crypto engine that is built into the DMA path between flash storage and a main system memory which makes highly efficient file encryption. The device has a unique ID (UID) and group ID (GID) in the processor and Secure Enclave during fabrication. It make the software or any company is difficult to read the data on Apple gadgets, it is hard to read directly and can only be read through the AES engine.
In addition, Apple also has a system for secure data deletion. They have named Effaceable Storage System. It can access storage directly and remove the blockade.
In addition to the hardware encryption feature built into iOS devices, Apple uses a technology called Data Protection. It used to be better protect the data stored in flash memory on the device. Data protection allows the device to respond to public events such as incoming phone calls, it also has high-level encryption for user data.
“The system applications, such as messages, mail, calendar, contacts, photos, and health data using the data protection by default, and third-party applications that are installed on iOS 7 or later also receive this protection automatically. The data protection implemented by building and managing the hierarchy key, and built on hardware encryption technology on every iOS device. The data protection is controlled by file. It specifying each file to class; accessibility is determined by whether the key classes have been opened, “said Apple.
With passcode enabled, the user directly enable data protection. The difficulty of penetrating passcode Apple is expected to require 5.5 years for six alphanumeric characters that became passcode. It would be more robust if the user’s device powered by Touch ID.
To ensure the security of data in the device, the Apple device also has an automatic delete settings. A total of 10 times incorrect passcode, all data will be permanently deleted by the Erase Data feature. This is what makes the FBI asked Apple to created a special software to unlock the iPhone 5c belong to the shooter namely Rizwan Syed Farook.
The Strength of Apple ID and The Encryption Technology
Encryption is one of the essentials aspect of a gadgets. It help users to store their personal data. Encryption will protect the identity of the users.
Currently, gadget allows users to do everything more easily. Users can pay bills, exchange information, and storing personal data in the respective devices. That’s why Apple and a number of vendors make software encryption to protect user data.
According to Schneier, on Sunday (02/28/2016), strong encryption means that it can not be decrypt. If the encryption is weakened by the hacker, criminal, or the government it will easily be cracked so that the user’s data is threatened.
For users of iOS and other Apple software, Apple ID is important. In addition to being a key to download the application, the ID is also used as access to iCloud, iTunes, and other Apple services.
Apple ID can not be shared with other user, so it can only be used by one person even possible to access with multi-devices. You can still share certain data such as photos with family but through the feature, not through ID.
Apple ID protected by password, security question and some other authentication. Apple has a data protection feature that is activated immediately when a user sets up a passcode, either by fingerprint or six-digit code. Ten times in a row you enter the wrong passcode, then the data in the iPhone will disappear forever.
This encryption that hard to be hacked makes the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) asked “back door”. The FBI requires software to be able to open the iPhone 5C that are owned by the shooter in San Bernardino.